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Exploring Tulikko A Unique Tile Laying Board Game Experience
- Alex Critchell
- Aug 6
- 5 min read
This week, we dive into Tulikko, an exciting new tile-laying board game from Studio H. Combining innovative gameplay with stunning artwork, Tulikko is swiftly gaining popularity among board game fans.
First Impressions
From the moment you see the game box, its first impression is captivating. The front cover features a striking glistening finish that draws your eye. While the bold white lettering contrasts beautifully against the vibrant blue background, making the title stand out.
The back of the box is also impressive, displaying game details in a clear and visually inviting manner. The well-organized layout, paired with a thoughtful color scheme, helps players understand the game at a glance. You’ll find beautifully arranged components illustrated, providing players with a clear expectation of what lies inside. The age range, player count, and other key details are highlighted effectively, ensuring everything is easy to read.
When you open the box, the stunning artwork continues to impress. Wooden tokens and thick, durable tiles add to the overall gaming experience. Not only do these components look appealing, but they also provide a satisfying tactile feel, enhancing the gameplay enjoyment.
Gameplay Overview
Tulikko invites players to step into the enchanting world of animal spirits, where the magic of nature unfolds as you create a vibrant forest to call home. In this captivating game, you will strategically add forest tiles to your wilderness board while exploring a mystical landscape. But beware! Your tile placements must be deliberate and thoughtful, as you strive to complete objectives and place as many of your tokens as possible to secure your chance at victory.
A Player's Turn
Prepare for an exciting journey played over a maximum of twelve turns! The first player kicks off the adventure, and then the action continues in a clockwise direction around the table. Each turn consists of three essential actions:
Select Tile: To start your turn, flip over the top tile from your forest stack and slide it into the central display. This action will push a tile out the other side, which you will use during your turn. Choose wisely!
Place Tile: Next, take the tile you just pushed out of the display and place it on your wilderness board. You can position it anywhere, but remember: it must match the symbol shown on the side of the central display from which it was taken. If you place the tile next to another of the same type, you can place a spirit token where the two tiles meet. If they don’t match, a river tile can be placed instead!
Complete Objectives: After placing your tiles, check to see if you’ve fulfilled any objectives by meeting the requirements of the landscape cards, symbol cards, or aurora tiles. Keep your eyes on the prize!
End Game and Victory
The game concludes when one of two end-game triggers is met: either a player runs out of river and animal tokens, or twelve turns have passed, leaving players with no forest tiles left to play. If you manage to place all of your tokens, you are declared the winner! If not, don’t despair. Players will score points based on unplaced tokens—two points for each unplaced animal token and one point for each unplaced river token. The player with the lowest score emerges victorious!
Are you ready to immerse yourself in the enchanting world of Tulikko? Gather your friends, unleash your strategic prowess, and let the adventure begin!
Positives of Tulikko
There are many positives to Tulikko in my opinion some of the main ones that stand out to me are:
Easily Accessible: One standout feature of Tulikko is its accessibility. The rules are simple to teach, making it ideal for both newcomers and seasoned players. This will allow even a group of friends that are new to board games to dive into the action quickly and enjoy the fun together.
Great Puzzle Experience: The game's design boasts an engaging puzzle experience. Each turn, as players slide tiles, they face new opportunities and challenges. This dynamic mechanism keeps the game fresh.
Quick Setup: The setup time is another significant benefit. Players can get the game set up quickly to dive into the gameplay quickly due to streamlined rules and components as well as a great insert for the game.
Negatives of Tulikko
However, like any game, Tulikko has some drawbacks to the game that may make this game not suitable for everyone. I have listed a few that came to our mind below:
Tile Laying Game: Tulliko is a tile-laying game which means it does attract a specific audience. Those unfamiliar or uninterested in the genre might find it less engaging and feel limited by the options it offers.
Pattern Recognition: Gameplay leans heavily on pattern recognition, which is not everyone strong suit. Due to this being an element that is involved and you struggle with this I would recommend against playing this as a lot of the objectives are based on recognising pattern to score points.
Quick to Play: While quick gameplay is a bonus for some, it also means that sessions can feel brief. A game averages around 20 to 30 minutes, which might leave those seeking a deeper, more immersive experience wanting more.
Final Thoughts
Tulikko has impressed me with its engaging gameplay and beautiful design. This is a perfect game for a chill game night, it offers players a fun puzzle to tackle while exploring the mystical realm of animal spirits. The sliding tile mechanism introduces an exciting twist to traditional tile-laying games, creating impactful decisions for each turn. Whether you are a board game lover or just searching for some new family fun, Tulikko deserves a spot on your game shelf.
With easy-to-learn mechanics, strategic depth, and stunning visuals, Tulikko is a delightful addition to any collection. It balances accessibility with complexity, ensuring players find satisfaction time after time.
If you do like tile laying games though Tulikko does not sound like the right choice for you I have a few more that maybe of interest for you. For those looking for a game with a bit more strategy and longer play time I would suggest taking a look at the kingdom building game Middle Ages. On the other hand if you are looking for something with less pattern recognition but brings great tile placement gameplay I would suggest taking a look at the Looot.
For anyone on the hunt for their next favorite board game, Tulikko might be exactly what you need.
You can see how the game plays and learn more about it at:
You can learn more about the other games in this article at:
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